Enchorer Dalna

Bong Eats’ Echorer Dalna braises unripe jackfruit and potato in spices. This selected Bengali version uses the recipe’s preparation without optional prawns, and is paired with rice and mango tok dal.

Potatoes are peeled and cubed, tomatoes roughly chopped and green chillies slit. Cleaned jackfruit is cut into cubes and kept in water, then strained and partly steamed with separate hot water, salt and turmeric under a lid; that steaming water is drained and discarded.

Mustard oil fries the jackfruit with part of the chilli powder and sugar before the pieces are strained out. The same oil is tempered with dried chilli, bay leaves, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and cumin seed, then used to fry the potatoes.

Cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric and asafoetida are mixed with water into a spice paste. Both chilli powders fry briefly in the oil before this paste is sautéed with water as needed; ginger paste follows, then tomato and green chilli, and finally the same fried jackfruit returns for braising.

Hot water and the remaining sugar are added for simmering until the jackfruit cooks through. Ghee and garam masala finish the dalna, which rests briefly under a cover before serving.